Framework for reinforcing and shaping concrete structures



F. A. WRIGHT. FRAMEWORK FOR REINFORCING AND SRAPING CONCRETE STRUCTURES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, I919.

1,336,547, Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET l- W/jjllh I vvoemtoz Q I woe/Magi,

F. A. WRIGHT- FRAMEWORK FOR REINFORCING AND SHAPING CONCRETE STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1919.

1,336,547. Patented Apr.13 20.

2 SHEETS-SH 2.'

iYzi gfl J w (6808 0 0 0 Q 0 0 Q 0 7 A A 6 k J J.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED A. Kl RIGHT, OF WILIVI INGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

1,335,547. Specification of Application filed February 21, 1919.

'0 all auto/a it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. W RIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at a'i'iimington, in the county of New Hanover, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Framework for Reinforcing and Shaping Concrete Structures, of which the following reference being had to the is a description, accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a framework for reinforcing and shaping concrete structures and more particularly to a structure of this character which mav be used in the build ing of ships, freight cars, silos, or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a framework of the above character which is made up of vertically extending and horizontally extending frame parts, which contain means within themselves for interlocking the frames, so that the framework may be set upwithout the use of bolts, angle plates or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame structure of the above character, wherein the vertically extending and horizontally extending frame parts are formed of V-shaped angle bars which may be readily bent to conform to the contour of th construction which it is desired to build.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame structure of the above character with vertically extending and horizontally extending reinforcing rods which are connected to the frame parts by recess- .in said frame parts and using a locking means common to a plurality of the rods, whereby the structure may be assembled without the use of bolts or rivets and from bars, rods and wires of the usual commer cial form.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a constructionof the above character, wherein fabricated metal is secured to the reinforcing rods by metalclips, which fabricated. metal forms spaced walls between which the concrete is poured and through which the concrete passes to a limited extent, thus forming and shaping the concrete structure and at the same time embedding not only the frame structure but the fabricated metal, within the surfaces of the concrete structure.

Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920. Serial No. 278,473.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the inven tion,

Figure 1 view in vertical section, showing the united framework, rods and fabricated metal and also showing a portion of the finished concrete wall with these parts embedded therein;

' is a plan view of a mi: I from which. one of the V-shaped angle bars or frames, is formed;

Fig. 3 is a similar view bar or frame;

Fig. f is a plan view, showing the frames, rods and fabricated meta-l assembled ready for the pouring of the concrete:

Fig. is a perspective view of one of the clips for holding the fabricated metal to the rods; and

Fig. 6 is a similar dotted lines the rod holding the metal.

The invention broadly consists in a fran'iework for reinforcing and shaping concrete structures, whereby the concrete structure may be built without the use of shaping molds of any character. To this end, the framework is formed of horizontally and transversely extending bars which are joined together by interlocking means formed as a part of the bars, so that no bolts, rivets, or the like are necessary for the securing together of these angle bars. The angle bars are in long lengths and are cold bent or shaped to conform to the con tour of the construction which it is desired to build. After these angle bars have been placed, then reinforcing rods are attached to the angle bars. These reinforcing rods are preferably set 'a recesses formed in the angle bars and secured thereto by locking wires so that in the assembling of the min forcing rods no bolts or rivets are necessary and these rods will bend to conform to the of the other angle view, but showing in and the clip as'beut for shape of the bars to which they are attached. The rods are placed adjacent the outer edges of the bars and an expanded fabricated metal is secured to the rods at one side of the framework while an expand ed fabricated metal is secured to the rods at the other side of said framework. This forms two spaced walls of fabricated metal between which the concrete is poured. The

concrete passes out through the openings in the expanded metal to a certain extent, so that the entire frame structure, including the expanded metal, is keyed together and embedded in the concrete structure. A concrete gun is then used to face the inner and. outer walls. This completes the structure.

The invention will perhaps be more clearly understood by a brief reference to the drawings, wherein I have shown my improved framework as consisting of vertically and horizontally extending angle bars or frames, which are somewhat similar in construction. The vertical bars are indicated at 1 in the drawings. These vertical bars are punched from a blank which is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, said blank having closely spaced notches 2, at each edge thereof. The blank is adapted to be bent on the broken line at, w, of Fig. 3, to form an angle bar.

For the purpose of description, I am referring to the part of the bar where it is bent and where the side walls of the bar meet, as the vertex of the bar, and the free edges which have the notches, as the base of the bar.

At the vertex of the bar are notches or cut-away portions 4, which are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the bar and these notches or cut-away portions are adapted to receive rods, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The horizontal frames or bars are formed from blanks as indicated at 3 in Fig. 2. These blanks are formed at each side with pairs of notches 5, 5, which are 0 positely inclined to the edge of the blan z. This blank is adapted to be bent on the broken line a", 00, to form an angle bar similar in shape to the angle bar 1.

The angle bar forming the horizontal member is made with a notch or cut-away portion 6 similar to the notch or cut-away portion a, except that it extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar. All the bars, both the vertical and horizontal, are formed with openings 7, which may be of any desired shape. The purpose of these openings is to receive the concrete, so that the bars will be firmly anchored in the solid concrete walls, by the concrete keys which are formed in these openings. This prevents the bars from sliding endwise in the concrete.

These angle bars come in long lengths and may be said to be of commercial form. The bars are placed preferably about three feet apart, both vertically and horizontally, although this may be varied according to the structure which is being made. The vertical bars are bent to conform to the shape or contour of the construction which is being built, as for example, if the framework is being used to form a ship, then the vertically extending angle bars are shaped to conform to the contour of the ship in vertical cross section. If a silo is being formed, then the bars will be shaped to conform to the vertical cross section of the silo. The horizontal V-shaped angle bars are also bent to conform in shape to the horizontal cross section of the ship, or to the silo.

As above noted, these bars come in long lengths of sixty feet or the like, and the end of one bar may be readily attached to another by the use of suitable devices which will bend portions of one bar into the other; or said bars may be spot welded or connected in any other way which avoids the use of bolts or rivets and requires more or less expert labor.

The horizontal and vertical bars are connected at their intersecting points by the springing of the edges at the base of the vertical bar into the pairs of notches 5, in the horizontal bars. The edges of the V- shaped bar which engage the notches 5, 5, are preferably curved outwardly slightly so as to assist in retaining the bars in inter-- locked relation.

Of course, it will be understood that the vertical bar may have the pairs of notches instead of the horizontal bar. The notches 2, 2 in the vertical bar coming against the outer faces of the side members of the horizontal bar, will prevent the bars from moving endwise in the notches 5, 5 and thus the vertical and horizontal bars will be firmly locked together by interlocking means, which is a part of the bars themselves. Thus it will be seen that this interlocking means is free from bolts or rivets or any other special connecting devices, which require the use of expert labor in order to assemble the parts.

After these frames have been shaped and assembled, then vertically extending reinforcing rods 8 are attached to the horizontally extending bars 3. These rods are placed in the notches or cut-away portions 6 and the notches or cut-away portions 6 are of suflicient depth to receive the rod and permit a wire 9 to be passed along inside of the horizontal angle bar 3 at the vertex thereof and between the inner wall of the angle bar and the rod 8.

It will be understood that these wires are in long lengths and a series of rods are placed in the notches and the wire pushed along behind first one rod after another. The notches 6 which receive the rods are preferably spaced on two-inch centers and rods may be placed in each notch or in every other notch, or in every third notch, according to the particular construction which is being formed and the desired number of re inforcing rods which should he used.

Horizontally extending reinforcing rods 16 are inserted in, the inclined notches or cutaway portions l of the vertically extending angle bars i. In placing these vertically extending angle bars, they are set so that the notches or cut-away portions 4L incline downwardly and thus the rods will be held by gravity in the notches temporarily. The notches are of sufhcient depth so a locking wire 11 similar to the locking wire 9 may be used for holding these rods 10 in place. These notches or cut-away portions 4 are spaced similar to the notches in the cut-away portions 6 and rods may be placed in every notch or every other notch or in any other way according to the desired number of reinforcing rods that are to be used.

After the frame and the reinforcing rods have been assembled, then an expanded fabricated metal 12, which may also be of commercial form, is attached to the vertically extending rods at their outer faces and an expanded fabricated metal 13 is secured to the outer faces of the vertically extending reinforcing rods. r-is a means for securing the fabricated metal in place, I have provided a clip 114; which is U-shaped and has projecting prongs 15, 15. This clip is placed around the rod, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings and bent to conform to the shape of the rod, bringing the prongs closely together. The prongs 15 are extended through one of the openings in the expanded fabricated metal and then the ends 16 are bent laterally, so as to firmly hold the fabricated metal in place against the rods. These clips also hold the fabricated metal against the extreme outer edges of the vertical and horizontal frame members.

After the expanded fabricated metal has been attached to the rods and frame members, thus forming spaced vertical walls, concrete is poured between the walls, en tirely filling the space between such walls. The concrete as it is poured, will pass through the openings in the fabricated metal, thus making a key which firmly secures the fabricated metal to the frame structure and in part embeds the fabricated metal in the concrete. A concrete gun may then be used to face up the inner and outer *alls and this completes the structure.

In the completed structure the vertical and horizontal members, reinforcing rods and expanded fabricated metal, are all embedded in the concrete and firmly united and keyed together, so that a solio wall of concrete thoroughly reinforced is formed and this is formed without the use of any shaping molds of any character.

It will further be noted that in the setting up of the frame structure, no belts or rivets of any character are used and the frame structure is built almost wholly from parts of a commercial form. The structure may, therefore, be quickly built, at little expense and without the use of expert labor.

It will be obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may oe made, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let tcrs l atcnt, is

1. l framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination. series of transversely and vertica v extending frame members shaped to confom to the contour of said structure and raving interlocking means at their points of intersection for securing the same together, a series of reinforcing rods secured to said frame members and lying respectively a ljacent the outer faces thereof, e:' panded fabricated metal secured to the reinforcing rods and forming spaced walls, whereby concrete may be poured between said. walls, filling the space therebetwcen and extending through the openings in the fabricated metal, thus forming a keyed solid concrete wall, conforming in shape to the frames and reinforcing rods.

2. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in coin-- bination, a series of longitudinally extending frame members shaped to conform to the contour of the structure, a series of transversely extending frame members shaped to conform to the contour of the structure, said frame members being ll-shaped in cross section with the bases of the frame incmbi 's in contact, the frame members of one of s; id series having notches into which the edges of the other frame member may be sprung, vhereby the frame members are locked together, reinforcing rods secured to said frame members and lying respectively adjacent the outer faces thereof. and expanded fabricated metal secured to the outer faces of the reinforcing rods, whereby concrete may be poured between the walls formed by the fabricated metal, filling the space therebctween and extending through the openings in the fabricated metal, thus forming keyed solid conc"etc wall conforming in shape to the frames and reinforcin rods.

A framework for reinforclng and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally extending frame members sha ed to conform to the contour of the structure, a series of transversely extending frame inen aers shaped to conform to the contour or the structure, said frame iiembers being '1'- shaped in cross section with the bases of the frame members in contact, the frame mem bers of one of said series having notches into which the edges of the other frame member may be sprung, whereby the frame memh are locked together, the frame members of the other series havin notches to prevent endwise movement of the frame members on each other, reinforcing rods secured to said frame members and lying respectively adjacent the outer faces thereof, and expanded fabricated metal secured to the outer faces of the reinforcing rods, whereby concrete may be poured between the walls formed by the fabricated metal, filling the space therebetween and extending through the openings in the fabricated metal, thus forming a keyed solid concrete wall conforming in shape to the frames and reinforcing rods.

4. A framework for reinforcing and shaping concrete structures including in combination, a series of longitudinally extending V-shaped bars, a series of transversely extending V-shaped bars, the free edges of one of said series of bars having notches formed therein ar anged to receive the free edges of the other series of bars, whereby said bars are locked together, and reinforcing rods and expanded fabricated metal secured to said V-sha ped bars opposite the free edges thereof.

A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally extending and V-shaped bars, a series of transversely extending V-shaped bars, the free edges of one of said series of bars having notches formed therein arranged in pairs to receive the free edges of the other series of bars, whereby said bars are locked together, said bars having notches formed therein at their vertices in which are adapted to be placed reinforcing rods, wires located within the angle bars and engaging the outer faces of the reinforcing rods for holding the same in place.

6. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally extending and V-shaped bars, a series of transversely extending V-shaped bars, the free edges of one of said series of bars having notches formed therein arranged in pairs to receive the free edges of the other series of bars, whereby said bars are locked together, said bars having notches formed therein at their vertices in which are adapted to be placed reinforcing rods, wires located within the angle bars and engaging the outer faces of the reinforcing rods for holding the same in place, clips secured to said reinforcing bars, and expanded fabricated metal secured by said clips to the outer faces of the rods, thus forming spaced walls between which concrete may be poured.

7. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally and vertically extending V-shaped bars having their free edges interlocked said bars having notches formed at their vertices adapted to receive reinforcing rods, said notches being of sufiicient extent to permit a locking wire placed with the angle bar to hold the rods in the notches.

8. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally and vertic-ally extending V-shaped bars having their free edges interlocked, said bars having notches formed at their vertices" adapted to receive reinforcing rods, said notches being of sufficient extent to permit a locking wire placed within the angle bar to hold the rods in the notches, the notches in said vertical bars being inclined downwardly for holding the rods in place until the wires are inserted.

9. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of intersecting V-shaped bars having their free edges slotted to provide an interlocking connection, said bars having notches formed at their vertices adapted to receive reinforcing rods, said notches being of sufficient extent to permit a locking wire placed within the angle bar to hold the rods in the notches.

10. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally and vertically extending V-shaped bars having their free edges secured together, said bars having notches formed at their vertices adapted to receive reinforcing rods, said notches being of sufficient extent to permit a locking wire placed within the angle bar to hold the rods in the notches, the notches in said vertical bars being inclined downwardly for holding the rods in place until the wires are inserted, means for securing an expanded fabricated metal to the outer faces of the reinforcing rods, thus forming spaced walls between which concrete may be poured, said V-shaped bars having openings formed therein for receiving the concrete, so that said V-shaped bars are keyed and held from endwise movement in the concrete.

11. A framework for reinforcing and shaping a concrete structure including in combination, a series of longitudinally extending V-shaped bars shaped to conform to the contour of the structure, a series of transversely extending V-shaped bars shaped to conform to the contour of the structure, the free edges of one of the said series of bars having pairs of notches formed therein inclined outwardly away from each other, the free edges of the other series of bars being curved outwardly and adapted to engage the pairs of notches for locking said bars together.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED A. WRIGHT. lVitnesses VIcToR G. CoxHnAn, E. S. ECKARDT. 

